Railings

ABSTRACT

An upper closure member  11  for a tubular vertical railing member  10,  or associated post member, comprising, an upper viewable portion  12,  when located on the tubular vertical member  10  or a railing or associated post, in use. A lower portion  13  sized to be accommodated within the tubular vertical member  10  or associated post member. The lower portion  13  comprises an expandable member  16  located to, or formed with, the lower surface of the upper portion, a bolt member  14  attached in screwthreaded engagement with a lower part  13  of the upper portion  12,  whereby actuation of the bolt member  14  via the interior of the tubular vertical member  10  or associated post member causes expansion of the expandable member  16  to positively locate the expandable member  16  within the vertical railing member  10  or associated post member. A washer  15  of solid material may be located beneath the lower surface of the lower portion  16  and above the upper surface of the head of the bolt  14  to ensure expansion of the expandable member  16  with actuation of the bolt member  14.

[0001] The invention relates to railings and to posts associated therewith, more particularly, to upper closure members for tubular vertical members of railings and/or associated posts and methods for providing such closures.

[0002] Whereas, in the past, railings have been formed of solid metal members, the present thinking is to provide railings of tubular member, for example as described in UK Patent No. 2,291,368. Such railings have distinct advantages over previous solid railings since the requirement for welding can be obviated.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a closure member for tubular vertical members of such tubular railings and/or associated posts without the requirement of welding.

[0004] According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an upper closure member for a tubular vertical railing member, or associated post member, comprising, an upper viewable portion, when located on the tubular vertical member of a railing or associated post, in use, a lower portion sized to be accommodated within the tubular vertical member or associated post member, such lower portion comprising, an expandable member located to, or formed with, the lower surface of the upper portion, a bolt member attached in screwthreaded engagement with a lower part of the upper portion, whereby actuation of the bolt member via the interior of the tubular vertical member or associated post member causes expansion of the expandable member to positively locate the expandable member within the vertical railing member or associated post member.

[0005] A washer of solid material may be located beneath the lower surface of the lower portion and the upper surface of the head of the bolt to measure expansion of the expandable member with actuation of the bolt member. The material of the expandable member may comprise rubber, a metallically expandable material, such as lead, or a synthetic plastics material.

[0006] According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of providing a closure for the upper end of a tubular vertical railing or associated post member, comprising locating a closure member as defined in either of the next preceding two paragraphs within the upper open end of such tubular vertical railing member or associated post member and subsequently actuating the bolt member from within the railing or post member to expand the expandable member to positively locate the expandable member within the vertical railing member or associated post member.

[0007] According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a railing section comprising a plurality of vertical tubular railing members having their upper open ends closed by closure members or by the method defined hereinbefore.

[0008] The foregoing and further features of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

[0009]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, part in section, of an upper closure member located on the upper open end of a tubular vertical railing member, and

[0010]FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line A-A of FIG. 1.

[0011] Referring now to the drawing there is shown the upper end of a tubular vertical railing member 10 closed by a closure member 11.

[0012] The closure member 11 comprises an upper viewable portion 12 formed with a lower portion 13 of smaller cross-section from the upper portion 12 and sized to locate within the open upper end of the tubular vertical railing member 10.

[0013] Such lower portion 13 is formed with a female screw thread which is engaged with the male screw thread of a bolt 14 located therebelow.

[0014] A washer 15 of solid material is located above the head of bolt 14 and sandwiches a member 16, formed of expandable material, between such washer 15 and the lower surface of the lower portion 13 of the closure member 11. The member 16 may be formed of any expandable material such as rubber, lead or synthetic plastics material.

[0015] The closure member 11 is attached to the open upper end of a tubular railing member 10 by locating portion 13 of member 11 within such open upper end of railing member 10. A socket tool (not shown) is inserted within the tubular railing member 10 to engage the head of bolt 14 and then actuated to expand the material of member 16 to the interior surface of member 10 to positively locate such member 16 and hence the closure member 11 to the open upper end of the tubular railing member 10.

[0016] Whereas the above description relates to attachment of a closure member 11 to the upper open end of a tubular railing member 10, such attachment could equably apply to a tubular post member (not shown) associated with a railing section comprising a plurality of such vertical railing members 10.

[0017] In addition to achieving the object of the invention the arrangement described above also has the additional advantages of the closure member 11 can be attached to railing member 10 subsequent to galvanising of a railing section. This precludes the requirement of a vent opening at the upper end of each railing member 10 prior to such galvanizing. Furthermore, where railing sections are to be powder coated subsequent to being galvanised, the closure members 11 can be coated separately and located subsequent to coating of the railing sections to provide contrasting colours; ie. railing section being coated black and closure members 11 being coated gold. Since no welding is required to attach the closure members 11, no stress is introduced to the structure. Since actuation of the bolt 14 is achieved internally during manufacture of the railing section the closure member 11 cannot be removed from the subsequently formed members 10 of a railing section. 

1. An upper closure member for a tubular vertical railing member, or associated post member, comprising, an upper viewable portion, when located on the tubular vertical member of a railing or associated post, in use, a lower portion sized to be accommodated within the tubular vertical member or associated post member, such lower portion comprising an expandable member located to, or formed with, the lower surface of the upper portion, a bolt member attached in screwthreaded engagement with a lower part of the upper portion, whereby actuation of the bolt member via the interior of the tubular vertical member or associated post member causes expansion of the expandable member to positively locate the expandable member within the vertical railing member or associated post member.
 2. An upper closure member as claimed in claim 1 wherein a washer of solid material is located beneath the lower surface of the lower portion and above the upper surface of the head of the bolt to ensure expansion of the expandable member with actuation of the bolt member, in use.
 3. An upper closure member as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein the material of the expandable member comprises rubber, a metallically expandable material, such as lead, or an expandable synthetic plastics material.
 4. A method of providing a closure for the upper end of a tubular vertical railing or associated post member, comprising locating a closure member as claimed in claim 1 , 2 or 3 within the upper open end of such tubular vertical railing member or associated post member and subsequently actuating the bolt member from within the railing or post member ot expand the expandable member to positively locate the expandable member within the vertical railing member or associated post member.
 5. A railing section comprising a plurality of vertical tubular railing members having their upper open ends closed by closure members as claimed in claim 1 , 2 or 3 or by the method as claimed in claim 4 .
 6. An upper closure member for a tubular railing member, or post member, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing. 